Lookout Sony! Microsoft Is Building An Xbox Tablet!

Sony certified games on Android are off to a slow start, but I’m very much hoping to see premium Playstation titles arriving to Android devices very soon. But it appears that they will have some serious competition on their hands, and in a very big way, as The Verge is reporting that Microsoft is currently building an Xbox Surface gaming tablet. An Xbox tablet?...TAKE..MY..MONEY...NOW.

Now we have certainly seen some very interesting 3rd party Android gaming tablets, but I would have LOVED to see a Sony Playstation tablet that would hopefully/obviously be Android powered. It would appear that Microsoft got to the punch first, which not only shows how serious they are about Windows 8, but that they are also damn serious about their new tablet lineup.

The tablet will reportedly be 7 inches, which I must admit is a better choice for playing games on when compared to 10 inch tablets. According to reports, it won’t run a full version of Windows, but a custom Windows kernel instead.

The Verge was also told that the following specs for the “Xbox Mini” are indeed accurate. Feast your eyes on these absolutely ungodly (outside of the resolution) tablet specs, courtesy of shifted2u.com:

I don’t think I’ve been this excited about a Microsoft product since way back when I bought my 360. Support for 4 wireless Xbox controllers? 5GB RAM? And all that monster processing power optimized for Xbox games...in a tablet?

Microsoft is being very secretive about this project and have reportedly locked down multiple XBOX facilities where this device will reportedly be built, which indicates that they are apparently taking it as serious as the highly anticipated Xbox720.

It’s rumored that the device will be unveiled before the Xbox720, but Microsoft is so far declining to comment “on rumors or speculation”.

I am a HUGE fan of both the Xbox360 and PS3, and you can better bet that I’ll be purchasing an Xbox720 AND a PS4, even if I have to sell my own blood to get them. But this tablet adds a hell of alot more to my already over the top excitement for the release of new consoles next year. If Sony is smart, they will start working on an official Playstation tablet, and I very much hope to see Android Jelly Bean (or Key Lime Pie?) pushing it.

What do you guys think? Is an Xbox mini aka Xbox Surface tablet something that you could see yourself buying?

11 comments

This is a WIN not only for xBox Fans, but also for Tablet Fans (it was merely hinted @ during E3 2012 & I predict E3 will see the debut of more interactive hook ups between Android Smart Phones / Tablets & Game Consoles) ... :-)

@Gio A. Great point regarding exclusivity but Microsoft needs a trojan horse to get into mobile computing in a big way and this could be it. The problem for Sony is that its losing money on android and also on their other product lines as well. I think Sony is smart to keep exculsivity of PS3 to both their Sony phones and HTC, as they need to increase sales in order to stay afloat. Samasung does not need PS3 games as they are able to sell their devices in both volume and margin.

I play on both PS3 and XBOX360 wel mostly PS3 but I like them both. Yes it is cool that microsoft wil release a gaming XBOX tablet but just one problem. It's going to work with they're new windows 8 ecosystem. No love for android. I would find it cool if sony would be able to release the PS4 with support for android games (like ouya)and being able to download games from the play store and also being able to play PS games. plus they should expand their exclusive PS titles that are now only available to sony and htc devices to for example samsung or maybe even the new nexus 10 tablet. I'm not just saying this because I like the PS3 more but because I also like android and would want them both to be the best and together usher in a new mobile gaming era. Sony is already doing so by letting the buyers of their mobile devices be able to download and play their PS titles and are kind of ahead of Microsoft with this. I don't want an xclusive gaming tablet but a tablet that can do everything and I hope sony is smart enough to know that.

For me it all comes down to the price. I think the Nexus series are in a good price range, Surface a little too high for the RT version, Pro version? I expect this monster to have a hefty price tag. But, the hat off to MS, they are thinking out of the box!